AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Austin City Council members crunch numbers and work to get their priorities aligned for the city’s new budget, a number of programs could face the chopping block when it comes to funding. One of those is Recycled Reads.
Recycled Reads is a nonprofit used bookstore operated by the Austin Public Library system.
The store, located at 5335 Burnet Rd., receives all of the library system’s “weeded” materials — or items that branches get rid of — as well as donations from the public. It then recycles, repurposes or sells those items for low prices. All the proceeds benefit the library system.
But now, Recycled Reads — which opened in 2009 — may face closure at the end of its lease in March if council members choose to pass the proposed 2025-26 fiscal year budget.
The potential closure was first discussed at the July 15 city council budget work session, where Kerri Lang, Director of Budget & Organizational Excellence for the city, presented an overview of the draft budget.
She broke down significant changes to the General Fund for several departments. When it comes to the Austin Public Library, the annual budget changes highlighted were:
- $400,000 for additional security staffing at library branches.
- $216,000 increase in funding for materials acquisition.
- $107,000 reduction from closure of the Recycled Reads site to allow for expansion of the
program across the library system.
Lang said the library is “expanding [the Recycled Reads] program across the system to allow for that program to be available at each of the branches.”
Hannah Terrell, interim director for APL, said the store operates in a leased space, and the lease ends at the end of March 2026.
“The lease ends March 31, 2026. So, it gives us an opportunity to look to see how we could either absorb that — and we can. We have book sales in each of our branches currently,” Terrell said.
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Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez) -
Recycled Reads on Burnet Road (KXAN Photo/Frank Martinez)
The inventory at the Recycled Reads storefront would be taken and distributed across all APL branches to expand the book sales already happening at each location, Terrell explained.
As for the other services Recycled Reads provides — the Tool Library and passport services — Terrell said there are plans to relocate those as well.
The Tool Library will be moved to the Zaragoza Warehouse, which is located next to the Cepeda Branch in the 600 block of North Pleasant Valley Road, Terrell said.
The passport services offered at Recycled Reads will move to the Yarborough Branch, Terrell added.
“We’re very excited about this being [an] even more equitable, economic and efficient process,” Terrell said, adding that Recycled Reads’ original mission of diverting from landfills would continue.